Best Rosacea Skin Care Routine

If you have rosacea, every product in your skin care routine should be carefully chosen to make sure the entire skin routine is rosacea-friendly. Rosacea-prone skin is super sensitive and can get a flare up if the wrong skin care products are used or if they are used in the wrong order in your regimen. Rosacea is not a skin type, but it is a skin concern found in 8 of the 16 Baumann Skin Types. Knowing which of these skin types you is crucial to build a anti-redness skin care regimen to calm your rosacea.

In this blog, I will be breaking down some of the most essential rosacea skin care routine tips that I’ve learned across my career as a dermatologist who also has rosacea.

Before we dive into the science of rosacea face care, make sure to take the Baumann Skin Type quiz so my advice will be more helpful to you. One you know which of the 16 skin types you are, you will be able to look for your skin type octagon next to products that are good for your redness-prone skin. If you have any questions about this blog, ask our skin care concierge AI bot and you may receive 20% off any purchases.

Dermatologist-Recommended Skin Care Routine for Rosacea

I have developed many rosacea skin care routines for my patients and have rosacea myself. Here are tips to figuring out what to use in a rosacea skincare regimen.

When you are building a rosacea routine, keep these tips in mind:

Know your Baumann Skin Type

Build your routine based on your Baumann Skin Type

Minimize exfoliation

Use soothing anti-inflammatory ingredients

Choose a calming moisturizer

Your cleanser must match your skin type

You may have more issues than just rosacea that your routine needs to treat such as oiliness, clogged pores, dryness, dark spots, and wrinkles. So you need a skin care routine designed to treat all of your barriers to skin health.

Keep reading to find different rosacea skin care routine options from top selling skin care brands.

Take the skin care routine quiz and we will help you build a custom rosacea routine choosing the best products from over 70 medical grade skin care brands.

Rosacea Skin Care Routine Steps and Order

The order that you apply skin care products matters because product influence the absorption, side effects, and efficacy of each other. This is the ideal order of skin care steps in a complete rosacea routine. You can substitute a prescription medications in step 3- the “rosacea cream” step.

Morning Rosacea Skin Care Routine

These are the steps for your morning rosacea routine:

Step 1: Soothing rosacea cleanser

Step 2 :Eye cream for sensitive skin

Step 3: Anti-redness serum/ cream or prescription medication

Step 4: Soothing moisturizer

Step 5: Nonchemical SPF

Night Rosacea Skin Care Routine

These are the steps for your evening rosacea routine:

Step 1: Soothing rosacea cleanser

Step 2 :Eye cream for sensitive skin

Step 3: Anti-redness serum or cream or prescription medication

Step 4: Soothing moisturizer

Step 5: Maybe a retinol if no flaring or stinging

When to use rosacea serums and creams with prescription rosacea medications in your skin care routine

Rosacea serums and creams are cosmeceutical products that are not FDA approved for rosacea but are often used by dermatologists to treat rosacea.

They may be used in conjunction with prescription rosacea medications.

If you combine your rosacea prescription medication with cosmeceutical anti-redness skin care products, this is when to use them in your skin care routine:

Apply the prescription medication after cleansing your face and applying eye cream.

Follow with a soothing occlusive moisturizer like Zerafite Soothing and Calming Moisturizer

Use the rosacea prescription medication in step 3 of your am and pm rosacea routine.

The Best Rosacea Skin Care Routines

Rosacea skin care routines have:

anti-redness ingredients that treat inflammation

no ingredients that sting the skin

no fragrance

no chemical sunscreens that irritate rosacea like avobenzone

no ingredients you are allergic to

The best rosacea routine is one tailored to your skin’s needs.

Do you have rosacea and dry skin- or do you have rosacea and oily skin?

Is your skin even-toned or does it have dark spots and rosacea?

Do you need anti aging products that are safe for rosacea?

Before we can give you a dermatologist-recommended rosacea skin care routine- we need to know more about your skin type.

I will give you example skin care routines from various medical grade skin care brands, but I prefer mixing and matching products from many brands and you need to take the quiz for that option.

Custom Skin Care Routines for Rosacea

People with rosacea need a custom dermatologist-recommended rosacea routine for a few reasons:

Washing the face irritates rosacea

Many products irritate the skin

Many products sting rosacea skin

Rosacea-affected skin needs more protection from the sun

Rosacea skin needs anti-inflammatory skin care

You want you products to be compatible with any rosacea prescription medications

There are many rosacea-friendly skin products, but the best rosacea routine is about finding a process you can follow daily to help your skin heal.

While everyone’s routine is different, your basic skin care routine for rosacea will include these steps every morning and night:

Apply a rosacea-safe rosacea cleanser that is right for your Baumann Skin Type® to your face with gentle circular motions, using your fingertips.

Thoroughly and gently rinse off the cleanser using your fingertips and lukewarm water.

Use a clean and dry cotton towel to gently pat your face dry.

Soothe your skin with moisturizer.

Apply a gentle eye cream to treat the redness and stinging rosacea can cause to the fragile eye area.

Apply a rosacea treatment -either a prescription cream or an over the counter anti-redness cream.

Cover with a soothing moisturizer that matches your skin type

In the am, apply a mineral chemical free sunscreen that is safe for rosacea on top of your moisturizer.

I put together a few rosacea routines from the top selling skin care brands. However, it is still best if you take our build a skin care routine quiz and design a custom routine by combining products from several different brands. Click the brand name below if you want advice on how to build a rosacea routine with products exclusively from that brand.

Skinceuticals

What should you not use on your face when you have a rosacea flare?

When you have rosacea, these are the skin care products to avoid when your skin is irritated:

Benzoyl peroxide

Chemical sunscreens like avobenzone

Hydroxyacids, AHAs

low pH ingredients

Vitamin C serums

Facial scrubs

Facial brushes

Strongly perfumed products

Don’t use exfoliants and acidic ingredients until your rosacea has calmed down. The only low pH ingredients that are OK to use when you are having a rosacea flare are:

azelaic acid

salicylic acid

Avoid other acids including ascorbic acid. Hyaluronic acid is ok to use because it is actually not very acidic and is not irritating.

Retinoids like retinoic acid should never be used during a rosacea flare. They can be used after 1-2 months of a soothing skin care routine if you are not experiencing any skin stinging.

Products to Use in a Rosacea Routine

Rosacea-safe Eye Creams

Rosacea blepharitis, a condition where rosacea affects the eyelids, requires careful selection of eye serums and creams to avoid exacerbating symptoms. Individuals with rosacea blepharitis should avoid eye serums and creams containing fragrances and irritating ingredients such as acids (e.g., glycolic, salicylic, and lactic acids). These components can trigger inflammation and worsen the irritation around the sensitive eye area. Instead, opt for gentle, fragrance-free formulations specifically designed for sensitive skin. Avoid retinol and AHA eye creams

Rosacea Safe Toners

Most toners should be avoided when you have rosacea because they have alcohol which can irritate the skin.

Toners should only be used in rosacea if you have oily skin and if they have soothing ingredients like:

Azelaic acid

Chamomile

Green tea

Fever few

Licorice extract

Use a toner before your rosacea medication, not after. This is our collection of rosacea safe toners:

Ingredients To Use In Your Rosacea Routine

Some ingredients like ascorbic acid and retinol can be used in rosacea, but have caveats to follow so they do not irritate your skin. In this section, I tell you how to properly use these in ingredients in your routine.

Hyaluronic Acid in Rosacea Routines

HA serums are OK to use when you have rosacea, however if they are good for your skin depends upon which of the 16 skin types you are. Benefits of HA in rosacea are:

Humectant ability gives temporary hydration

Can be kept in refrigerator and applied cold to soothe skin

Increase penetration of other ingredients

HA Serums are expensive and do not help rosacea- however they will not hurt rosacea-prone skin.

Vitamin C Serum in Rosacea Regimens

Many Vitamin C serums such as the Skinceuticals serums have a low pH of 2-2.5 to help l-ascorbic acid penetrate into the skin. This low pH will irritate rosace, cause facial flushing, and make the skin sting. So only use Vitamin C serums that are an ester from and formulated at a less irritating pH.

Here are some rosacea-safe Vitamin C serums like Jan Marini C-ESTA Face Serum that you can safely use in a rosacea skin care routine. If you have a rosacea medication in your am and pm regimen, don’t use a Vitamin C serum.

Vitamin C serums should be used at a different time of day than your topical rosacea medications.

Retinol and Rosacea

You should not use retinol when beginning a rosacea skin care routine. Once you have used a soothing skin care routine for 4- 8 weeks you can consider beginning a low strength retinol.

When you have rosacea, only use retinol if you don’t have:

Stinging

Scaling

Dryness

Uncomfortable skin

Painful skin

Retinol will be the last routine step in your night regimen after your rosacea cream and moisturizer at night.

Ingredients to Avoid

These ingredients can cause your skin to sting or flare, so avoid these in your skin routine:

Alcohol (denatured)

Benzyl alcohol

Benzoyl peroxide

Camphor

Capsaicin

Cinnamon oil

Clove oil

Eucalyptus oil

Fragrances

Ginger extract

Menthol

Mustard oil

Niacin (Vitamin B3)

Oregano oil

Peppermint oil

Witch hazel

These ingredients can cause irritation and exacerbate face flushing. These ingredients do not bother everyone with rosacea, so you may be able to tolerate these but be aware.

Phenoxyethanol is an ingredient in many ski care products that can cause problems if it is used in a high concentration. So look for products that have it farther down on the ingredient list which means there is a lower amount.

Rosacea Moisturizers

The best moisturizers you can use for rosacea depend upon if you are a dry or an oily skin type. Knowing your Baumann Skin Type can help you choose a rosacea moisturizer.

General tips for choosing a moisturizer for rosacea are:

Avoid hydroxyacid AHA creams

BHA salicylic acid creams are ok to use if you don’t have skin stinging.

Use creams or lotions with soothing ingredients

These are our favorite moisturizers for dry skin with rosacea:

Rosacea Sunscreens

In the mornings, you’ll want to add SPF to your routine to prevent sunburn. The best option is a physical or mineral SPF. Chemical sunscreens like octinoxate and avobenzone can irritate rosacea-prone skin or cause the eyes and face to sting. Zinc containing sunscreens with soothing ingredients are ideal. My favorite sheer mineral sunscreen with soothing ingredients for rosacea is Pavise Age Defense.

A tinted mineral sunscreen can help camouflage redness. The Rationale Beautiful Skin Sunscreen comes in 6 colors so the sunscreen will not look white and pasty on your skin. Here is our collection of rosacea friendly sunscreens:

Removing SPF When You Have Rosacea

It is not very easy to remove sunscreen when you have rosacea because you must be gentle and avoid harsh detergents. Avoid makeup removal wipes, bar soaps, and alcohol. Look for a gentle cream cleanser or an amino acid cleanser like Pavise Gentle Amino Powerwash which was designed to remove sunscreen.

Use very gentle circular motions to remove any trace of sunblock from your skin. Read this blog to learn more about how to remove sunscreen.

10 Tips to Reduce Rosacea Inflammation

The inflammation that rosacea causes can play a role in more serious diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. So tackling inflammation form all angles is important. Here are more ways to treat inflammation. You can also read my blog on treating rosacea from the inside to get more information on how to calm systemic inflammation.

Here are 10 holistic tips to reduce total body inflammation:

1. Get 7 + hours of sleep per night.

2. Meditate or do yoga or another relaxing activity once a day.

3. Add anti-inflammatory foods like salmon, argan oil and flaxseed oil to your diet.

4. Avoid your rosacea triggers which may be heat, alcohol, spicy food or hot beverages and food.

5. Use a body cream to reduce overall skin inflammation.

6. Avoid friction on the face when possible.

7. Avoid skin care with alcohol (fatty alcohols are OK)

8. Eat fruits and vegetables to normalize your microbiome.

9. Take probiotics.

10. Reduce sugar.

How long does it take a rosacea skin care routine to work?

Rosacea skin care usually works in about 8 weeks. These tip will help you get faster results:

Follow your custom routine every day

Be gentle on your skin when drying with towels, cleansing, or wiping off sweat.

Eat an anti-inflmmatory diet

Avoid rosacea triggers

If your rosacea is not improved at all in 8 weeks, see your dermatologist for a prescription rosacea medication or a rosacea treatment like the vascular laser or intense pulsed light. Find a doctor near you here.

Get started on the best skin care routine to get red of facial redness now! It can take weeks to work so stop wasting time and get started.

DQH Can I use salicylic acid first and then vitamin C? It’s easy to create a skincare routine, but knowing how to use it is another thing entirely. In most cases, if you’re not getting the desired skin results, it could be due to the layering of conflicting ingredients. So, is it possible that salicylic acid and vitamin C are such ingredients? Or are these active ingredients the duo that’s been missing from your skincare routine? If you want answers, stick around because today we are going to explain the benefits of salicylic acid and vitamin C and how they can be used in your daily life. What are the benefits of salicylic acid for skin? Salicylic acid is one of the most commonly used beta hydroxy acids and is favored by many people with oily, acne-prone skin. This acid is derived from willow bark, and unlike its water-soluble relatives (called alpha-hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble, which means it can penetrate deeper into the lower layers of the skin. Once it reaches the lower layers, it can help unclog pores of excess sebum, dirt, bacteria, debris, and impurities. This results in clearer skin tones and greater definition. Not only does salicylic acid benefit the underlying layers, but the outer surface of the skin benefits as well. When applied to the skin, salicylic acid removes the buildup of dead skin cells. This is accomplished by breaking the bonds that hold dead cells to the surface. Over time, this can cause the complexion to look dull and prone to acne, blackheads, and other blemishes. If you’d like to learn more about salicylic acid and how it can improve your skin, check out this dedicated blog post from a beauty insider. What are the benefits of vitamin C for skin? Vitamin C is considered one of the most powerful antioxidants, which means it is very effective at fighting free radicals and preventing them from causing further skin damage. Examples of free radicals include pollution, central heating, UV rays and harsh climate. They attack proteins, fats and cell membranes as soon as they come into contact with the skin, causing signs of premature aging such as fine lines and wrinkles as well as hyperpigmentation, flaky patches of skin and loss of elasticity. Many people usually prefer to use vitamin C in their morning routine as this ingredient gives the complexion a radiant glow. You’ll also find that vitamin C can target areas of hyperpigmentation, plumping the skin and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The thing about vitamin C is that there are a lot of outdated studies going back to the 1950s that describe vitamin C as an unstable skin component. Thanks to improvements in modern technology, this is no longer the case as all products now contain a stable form of vitamin C. Visit The Beauty Insider to learn more about vitamin C. So please check out our blog post. Can I use salicylic acid first and then vitamin C? Yes, you absolutely can. In fact, it’s thought that using salicylic acid before using vitamin C ensures it penetrates faster and works faster. This is an efficient way to utilize two power sources, and the reason has to do with pH. For example, the skin’s natural pH is about 4.7, making it slightly acidic. Salicylic acid and vitamin C are also both acidic, and you’ll find that vitamin C is absorbed quickly into the skin. Therefore, using salicylic acid beforehand can increase the acidity of the skin and allow vitamin C to penetrate into the skin faster. While this is considered an effective way to combine two powerful ingredients, you need to be aware of your skin type and how it reacts to certain active ingredients. Even people with perfect, normal skin can experience skin sensitivity and irritation. Therefore, always consult a doctor or dermatologist before using any new products on your skin. It’s also important to follow skin application rules. In this case, you need to use the product correctly to ensure you get the best results for your skin. If you’re not sure what I mean, the basic rule for skin is to start with the thinnest consistency and work your way up to the thickest consistency. This prevents a barrier from forming on the surface, preventing other active ingredients from penetrating the skin. Can I use salicylic acid at night and vitamin C in the morning? Yes, absolutely, this is considered the most effective way to get returns without any adverse side effects. This is because there is enough time between applications to ensure that the skin’s pH levels return to balance. You’ll also find that Vitamin C is rich in antioxidants and is perfect for use in the morning to ensure your skin is protected and looking its healthiest. Due to the small size of salicylic acid molecules, it is an acid that is able to reach the deepest parts of the skin. While this is effective at keeping skin clear, it also increases the risk of irritation and photosensitivity. Therefore, many people prefer to use powerful BHAs in their evening routine without exposure to UV rays, pollution, or harsh weather. Warning: If you avoid using sunscreen every day, none of these ingredients will do what your skin needs. The combination of chemical peels and powerful ingredients increases the risk of further damage to the skin’s surface. Use SPF 50 every day to keep your skin protected and your lipid barrier healthy, even on cloudy days, keeping your skin in top condition.

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